The Wealth & The Beauty of Indonesian Culture Thru Artistry

As we know that Asia continent has a lot of cultures which can't be found in any continents such as Australia, Europe, North America, South America, and Africa.
But the Asia continent is also divided into 4 parts of the region such as :

1. South-East Asia :  Indonesia. Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam,
Kamboja, Laos, Myanmar, Timor Leste.
2. South Asia: India, Pakhistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka.
3. East Asia : People's Republic of China, Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, South Korea, North Korea.
4. West Asia : Saudia Arabia, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Uni Emirat Arab, Turki, Lebanon, Syria, Yaman, Oman, Jordania, Kuwait.

of course, each of the 4 areas have different cultures very much. Here I will review one of the culture of a country located in Southeast Asia, namely as The Republic Of  Indonesia.

The Wealth and The Beauty of Indonesia Culture Thru Artistry.

Indonesia is known as a country with 17,504 islands, 742 traditional languages, and in 1340 the tribes.

That's why the diversity of cultures in Indonesia very much.

Talking about art, ancestral in Indonesia is also very fond of art. almost all tribes have his trademark artistry each another. Well, Let us see below about some various of Indonesian cultural diversity through the arts that had been created by earlier ancestor.

1. Ondel - Ondel 

Ondel-ondel is a form of folk performance using large puppets. It originated from Betawi, Indonesia and is often performed in festivals. The word ondel-ondel refers to both the performance and the puppet.

Ondel-ondel, the puppet, is about 2.5 meters tall with ± 80 cm diameter, made of woven bamboo. It is constructed in such a way so that it easily lifted by one person from the inside of the puppet. The puppet is usually dressed in brightly colored garments, and in some occasions, in traditional Betawi clothing. The puppet's mask face is typically made of wood, and the hair from dried palm treeleaves that have been shredded lengthways. An ondel-ondel can either be of the female or male gender. The wooden mask of the male puppet is traditionally painted red, while the female's is painted white.

2. Wayang Golek

Wayang Golek or in English means puppet Marionette is a traditional art of Sundanese tribe in Indonesia obviously. Puppet show made of wooden dolls, which are especially popular in the Land Pasundan, Regional distribution stretching from Cirebon in the east to the area of Banten in the west, even in Central Java region bordering West Java often performed performances Marionette Puppet.
One of the functions of puppets in society is ngaruat (ruwat), is to cleaning of accidents (distress). Some people who diruwat (sukerta), among others:
a. Wunggal (child)
b. Bugang bear (a sister whose brother died)
c. Suramba (four sons)
d. Surambi (four daughters)
e. Pandavas (five children)
f. Pandawi (five daughters)
g. Talaga Date Kausak (a son dihapit daughter)
h. Samudra hapit sindang (a daughter dihapit two sons), and so forth.

3. Wayang Kulit 

Wayang is almost same as Wayang Golek as u red above in the number two. Wayang means the word for a theatrical performance with puppets or human dancers in Java (one of the tribe in Indonesian). When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theatre are accompanied by a gamelan orchestra in Java, and by gender wayang in Bali ( one of the island in Indonesia). 

UNESCO designated wayang kulit, a shadow puppet theatre and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003. In return for the acknowledgment, UNESCO required Indonesians to preserve their heritage.

4. Gamelan

Let's talk about the music :) because music is also include of artistry.

The word "gamelan" means a "orchestra," in Java (one of the tribe in Indonesian) referring to the instruments that make up the ensemble. Gamelan is the music as is known today is particular to four nearby islands: Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok. There are a large number of different types of gamelan ensembles, as much in terms of instruments used as in sizes, as much in the styles of music performed as for occasions when they are performed, as well for Whom they perform. Reviews These few ensembles can range from portable instruments, played by three or four musicians, to a large ensemble with as many as twenty-five musicians and between ten to fifteen singers. Large gamelan are own by wealthy patrons, shadow puppeteers play or a particular institution, such as banks, schools or government offices. For Reviews their part, musicians own smaller and more portable ensembles. Javanese Gamelan music has been performed for and enjoyed by people of all walks of life, from beggars to kings, Although the sizes and types of ensembles, as well as the styles of music differs Depending from the which social class the audience is and on the occasions ,

Most of the times, Gamelan ensembles accompany dance and theater, and especially "wayang kulit", the well-known Javanese (and Balinese) shadow puppet theater.

5. Tari Reog 

Reog ponorogo is one of the art of dance in East Java (one of the island in Indonesia), which until now still in the preserve. Reog a native Indonesian art and culture. Indeed, culture and art is often associated with things mystical, therefore, not infrequently often associated with the world of spiritual power even black world.


Quite apart from that, this community Ponorogo reog usually often staged during the event as weddings, circumcisions, the days of national holidays, and the annual festival organized by the local government. Festival which is held by the government consists of reog Mini Nasinonal Festival, Festival reog national and also show on the full moon which is housed in the square ponorogo. While reog national festival was always held when going into the Maharam months or frequently in Javanese tradition was commonly called the month of Suro. Ponorogo reog staging a series of events Grebeg Suro or also the anniversary of the town of Ponorogo.

6. Tari Topeng 

Tari Topeng or in English means The mask dance as the name suggests this traditional dance wearing a mask character.

the traditional of mask dance in Indonesia are in three region, there are : Betawi, Cirebon, Bali, and Madura.

Okay, let us review this mask dance one by one from each tribe

a. Tari Topeng from Betawi

In the past, Tari Topeng  is a part of the show Mask Betawi.

Mask Betawi is performing a combination of art, drama, dance, and song. Much like a theater performance. This show used to be displayed in circumference. Especially, when there is an event that is deemed important enough. For example, the circumcision ceremony or wedding. Group of Tari Topeng Betawi usually responsed or rented to enliven the event.

Betawi Mask dance was already finished a show in itself. Thus, this dance is often performed. Variegated Mask Dance Betawi known, among other things:  Lipet Gandes Dance, The Solo Dance Mask, enjot-enjotan Dance, Dance Gegot, Mask Dance Beautiful, The Princess Dance mask.

the Dancers must have three conditions. First, the dancer must Gandes. Gandes means flexible or supple. Secondly, the dancers have to teach, that means cheerful or merry. Thus, the dancer may not seem depressed or sad. And third, the dancer must dance freely with no load.

b. Tari Topeng from Bali

The main story is told by a narrator who uses half a face mask, which allows the actors to speak, he called penasar. Masked dancers in the group, there are generally two penasar that tells the story of two different viewpoints. This show consists of performances mask character who speaks and who does not speak and also includes dances, fights and special effects. Sometimes the comedy character who participate in the story also recounted own point of view.

The narrator and character comedian often incorporate everyday events or news in the community in

their conversations to better entertain and provoke laughter.

In the mask dances, basic human properties are included, sometimes traits opposite such a pretty and ugly, the sacred with the infamous and much more the other. A complete explanation and analysis of the "Mask Pajegan", in "Masked Performance" by John Emigh, a professor from the west in the theater who became a dancer Mask Bali.

c. Tari Topeng from Cirebon

Cirebon Mask Dance or tari topeng Cirebon is a local indigenous art form of Cirebon in Java, including Indramayu and Jatibarang, West Java and Brebes, Central Java. It is called mask dance because the dancers use masks when dancing. There is a lot of variety in Javanese mask dance, both in terms of the dance style and the stories to be conveyed. Sometimes the mask dance can be performed by solo dancers, or it can also be performed by several people. 

Graceful hand and body movements, and musical accompaniment dominated by drums and fiddle, are hallmarks of Javanese mask dance. The dance is performed on special occasions for local officials, or for other traditional celebrations.

d. Tari Topeng from Madura

Although it can’t breath but it doesnt mean die. The glory in the past time seems to be awake. Mask dance in Indonesia that ever vacum a few periode now wake up again with coming of new generation.

Mask performing art from Madura tribes especially from Sumenep city can be said still exist in the society. Madura is an Island  in northeast of East Java Indonesia. “Topeng Dalang” is the name of the performance, that is mixing between dance and puppet shadow mostly like human puppet. But all the performer are using mask and no background screen changing like in human puppet. 

Wow!!! how about that, guys ? :) those are just a few of Indonesian colors. I hope you like it and those will not be extinct. Don't forget to visit them hehe...

See you later and have a nice day ! :)